Log-carrying barge



B..L. JOHNSON.

LOG CARRYING BARGE.

APPLICATION FILED Aua.-8, 1921.1

IAQLGyQQO; Patented Aug. 22, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

B. L. JOHNSON.

LOG CARRYING BARGE.

APPLICATION FILED Aueks. 192x.

Patented Aug. 22, 1922.

2 SHEETSMSHEET Z.

.ses alle-Tnt FFQ.

Loef-CARRYING Benen.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patentgd Aug; 22, 1922,

Application led August 8, 1921. Serial No. 496,869.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, BERNARD L. JOHNSON, a citizen of the Dominion of Canada, residing at Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Log-Carrying Barges, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a log carrying barge or vessel which has been particularly designed for the conveyance of logs through open water where there is risk of encountering a sea that would break up an ordinary rait whether open or compacted.

The barge has provision for propelling' itself and for loading and unloading from and to the water.

The invention is particularly described in the following specification, reference being made to the drawings by which it is accompanied, in which:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section.

Fig. 2, a plan, and

Fig. 3, a cross section on the line 22 in Fig. 1 looking aft.

ln these drawings 2 represents the bow portion of the barge, which portion extends a sufficient distance aft to provide accommodation for the propelling .and operating engines and mechanism of the barge, and for the crew.

Aft of this bow portion 2, the hull of the barge is, in cross section, somewhat as shown in Fig. 3, having a log pocket 3 formed between a water-tight double bottom 4L and double side walls 5, which pocket is open to the after end affording free access for iioating logs in.

The bottom and side wall spaces are divided into compartments by longitudinal bulkheads 6 and 7 and transverse bulkheads 8, the bulkhead 6 being in the middle line of the vessel and those 7 in line with the inner side walls, see Fig. 3.

The side compartments as separated by these bulkheads have provision in pipes 9, valves 10 and pumps 11 by which they may be independently flooded and emptied from the bow portion 2, the compartments of the double bottom being connected by valves with. those of the sides. The after bottom compartments are reserved. for the propeller motors and the after side compartments for buoyancy and trimming.

From the bow portion 2 the bottom of the barge is flat to a short distance from the after end, where it has an upward run at 12 to approximately the load water line, and aft of the bow portion the vessel is wallsided with a quarter round between the outer walls and the bottom. l

Balanced rudders 13 are provided at the after end immediately under each side wall 5 and within the space afforded by the run 12, and at the after end beneath the floor of the pocket are twin propellers 14, preferably electrically driven by motors in the after bottom compartments reserved vfor the purpose, which motors are driven by current generated by an engine in the bow portion 2.

Arched girders 15 extend at intervals apart yacross between the sideyportions: .5 of the hull to the underside ofl which girders are secured longitudinal rails 16, preferably one in the middle line and one on each side.

These rails are of I section and on the bot-- tom flanges of each a wheeled carriage 17 is endwise movable throughout its length. Around a sheave 1S on each carriage is passed a hauling line 19 from a hauling engine 22, to the outer end of which is connected a pair of lever tongs 20. A haulback line 23 passes from a separate drum on the hauling engine around a sheave 24 at the after end of each rail 16 and is connected to the carriage 17.

By the haul-back line the carriage 17 may be drawn out to the after end of' the track rail and retained there against the tendency to be drawn in while a log is being lifted or drawn into the pocket.

In use, the barge is submerged by flooding the several water-tight compartments to bring the bottom of the log pocket under water. Parcels of logs made up prior to the vessels arrival, are then floated into the pocket, and by pumping out the compartments these logs are grounded on the floor of the pocket. rlhe remainder of the available pocket space is then loaded with logs to its capacity by means of the several hauling lines 19. This is done by connecting the tongs 2O to one end of a log and, the carriage 17 being held back by the haul-back line 23, the leading end of the log is lifted and, when clear of the logs within the pocket, the haul-back line 23 is paid out and the hauling line drawn in to trail the log into its desired position. This operation may be simultaneously conducted with the other hauling lines until the barge is fully loaded.

ln unloading, the operations described are reversed, 'the carriages 17 being first drawn out to the after end of their rails 16 and, the carriages being held by the haul-back line, the upper logs are drawn off the barge and floated out of the pocket untiltthe load is so reduced that submersion of the vessel will not float the residue ofthe logs to engage with the, transverse girders. The vessel is then submerged and the various parcels are foatedout. With a barge so constructed and equipped logs of any size and weight may be safely,

rapidly and economically transported across open water. The vessel as designed has a capacity of one million, forty thousand feet vof logs, allowing for broken stowage, and it is estimated that a million feet can be loaded in twelve working hours and unloaded in possibly something less.

Having now particularly described my invention, I hereby declare that what I claim as new and desire to be protected in by Letters Patent, is:

1. A log carrying vessel having a bow portion for containing the propelling and ingthe bottom of the log pocket, and means for loading logs in the pocket.

2. A log carrying vessel having afbow portion and a hull extending aft therefrom,` said hull having a log pocketk between a double bottom and double sides, which pocket is open at the after end, the spaces of the double bottom and sides being divided into separate water-tight compartments, means controlled from the bow portion for flooding e and for emptying the separate compartments, means' on the bow portionv for generating power to propel the vessel, propellers located below the after part of the floor of the log pocket, and balanced rudders below the after end of the side walls.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature.

BERNARD L. JOHNSON. 

